1 week ago

1 week ago

1 week ago

Pac-12 All-Defense Team and All-Newcomer Team

The college basketball season is now just days away and here are some more of the Pac-12 microsite’s predictions for the season with our All-Defense Team and All-Newcomer Team.

All-Defense Team

C Aziz N’Diaye (Sr. 7’0″ 260 lbs.)Washington. N’Diaye was a physical presence and an exceptional defender for the Huskies and Lorenzo Romar last year. He’s a great rebounder and shot-blocker, averaging 7.1 per boards per game and blocking a shot a night last season. N’Diaye covers the paint very well for the Huskies and is legitimate 7-footer who is mobile for his size. As a result, he can recover quickly and play great help defense. His length should cause problems for opposing offenses all year long.

F- Andre Roberson (Jr. 6’7″ 210 lbs.) Colorado. The second-best defensive rebounder in the nation last year, Roberson picked up 401 total and 290 defensive rebounds last year. He has been a defensive force ever since he’s arrived at Colorado by blocking everything that comes his way. Roberson averaged 1.9 blocks per game last year and also averaged 1.3 steals a game to boot. It’s very hard to score on Roberson as he never gives up second chances and tips rebounds to himself if necessary, and he can even step outside and guard perimeter players on the wing. Overall, Roberson is an outstanding defender and is underrated defensively because of his size.

F- Eric Moreland (So. 6’10” 215 lbs.) Oregon State. The Pac-12’s leading shot blocker last year is an imposing defender with his size and speed. Moreland averaged 1.9 blocks per game last year and totaled 69 blocks on the season. Although at first glance it may seem Moreland is not a great rebounder due to his 6.8 RPG average last year, he was second in defensive rebound percentage in the Pac-12 at 26.8%. With more minutes possibly headed his way this season, you could see his traditional rebounding numbers jump.

Eric Moreland has a knack for blocking shots and getting the ball.

F- Josh Huestis (Jr. 6’7″ 230 lbs.) Stanford. Huestis doesn’t have one particular skill at which he excels on defense. He can block shots and he’s a decent rebounder, but more importantly, he’s just a good all-around defender. When he’s in the game, players rarely score on him. Huestis is a smart player and knows where to play help defense and how to position himself on the floor, and his athletic ability helps him make up for a relative lack of size. With plenty of minutes available in the Stanford frontcourt, Huestis should provide great defense down low for the Cardinal this season.

G- Tyler Lamb (Jr. 6’5″ 200 lbs.) UCLA. Tyler Lamb, the only guard to make this list, is one of the best on-ball defenders in the Pac-12. He was third in the Pac-12 last year with 58 steals averaging 1.8 steals per game and is a long defender with very active hands. He can move well laterally and gets into opposing players with his quickness and 200-pound frame. He’ll miss the start of the season due to injury, but should provide the Bruins with defensive toughness upon his return.

All-Newcomer Team

G-Kyle Anderson (Fr. 6’8″ 215 lbs.) UCLA. Kyle Anderson was finally cleared to play by the NCAA and should be a major contributor for the Bruins this season. He stands at 6’8″ and flourishes with the ball in his hands. He’s not an athletic freak, but he can score, facilitate, and will be crucial for UCLA this year, as there is still skepticism about Larry Drew II’s ability to successfully run the offense.

G-Jahii Carson (Fr. 5’10” 175 lbs.) Arizona State. Carson, a lightning fast point guard, practiced with the Sun Devils last year but sat out because he was not cleared academically by the NCAA. Carson is an athletic freak and can dunk the ball easily even at a diminutive height of 5’10”. He’ll be in complete control of Herb Sendek’s offense this year and although Arizona State might be at the bottom of the Pac-12, Carson’s play should be a bright spot for the Sun Devils.

F- Shabazz Muhammad (Fr. 6’6″ 220 lbs.) UCLA. Muhammad, who is arguably the most controversial player in the Pac-12 and all of college basketball, has still not been cleared to play by the NCAA. However, if he were to make it onto the court, it’s hard to come up with another player who will have a bigger impact than him. Ranked as the top recruit for 2012 by Rivals and second overall recruit by ESPN, Muhammad is a physically gifted player who finishes with authority and can attack the rim in multiple ways. If cleared, he should be able to score for the Bruins right away and wreak havoc on defenses on a nightly basis.

Hopefully we’ll be seeing Shabazz Muhammad do this in a different uniform this year.

F-Brandon Ashley (Fr. 6’8″ 215 lbs.) Arizona. Brandon Ashley is one of three exceptional big men that Arizona picked up this offseason. Ashley can score in a variety of ways and can run the floor well. He is a good rebounder and uses his length to cause problems on defense and offense. He needs to add more size, but can hit outside shots when open. Sean Miller’s impressive haul of big men will cause fear in many Pac-12 teams as they won’t be able to get a break with Ashley, Tarczewski and Grant Jerrett.

C- Kaleb Tarczewski (Fr. 7’0″ 240 lbs.) Arizona. A true seven-footer, Tarczewski has great size and run the floor much better than other big men at his position. He’s very strong and should start right out of the gate with a significant impact. He can finish with both hands and in Arizona’s first exhibition game, Tarczewski put up an impressive 18 points and 10 rebounds. His rebounding ability and hook shot are hard to match and he will allow Sean Miller to create match-up problems all night long with his other big men.